Rising to a height of 175 meters, the mountain of Sulaiman Too watches over the fertile Fergana Valley and the city of Osh which, in the Middle Ages, was a major stop at the crossroads of important Silk Road routes. Forming the backdrop to the city, its 5 peaks long served as a true landmark for travelers.

The first site in Kyrgyzstan to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009, Sulaiman Too is recognized as an "exceptional spiritual landscape that reflects both Islamic and pre-Islamic beliefs".

You'll need to climb a well-maintained stairway to uncover the secrets of this sacred mountain and enjoy a spectacular viewpoint over the city and valley.

A Brief History

For over a millennium, Sulaiman Too was venerated as a sacred mountain. The earliest reference to it was discovered in a 13th-century Chinese text mentioning a city of Davan (known for supplying horses) within a highly revered mountain. In the 15th century, it became known by the Persian name Bara-Kukh ("beautiful mountain"). Only in the early 18th century did its current name emerge—derived from an Arab legend recounting the stay of the prophet Sulaiman within the mountain—and only from the 19th century onwards did multiple accounts attest to its religious significance for Muslims and its places of worship believed to possess healing powers. From this period onward, various scientific missions worked to study legends, folklore, rituals, and other characteristics linked to its slopes, caves, and crevices.

While the connection between Sulaiman Too and Islam is undeniable today, scholars believe it may have been a place of worship as far back as the Bronze Age.

During the Soviet era, efforts were made to eradicate all religious practices on the mountain and transform it into a recreational site. Nevertheless, despite the installation of an observation platform, the demolition of sanctuaries, and the opening of a restaurant in the natural cave of Rusha-Unkur—later converted into a museum—Sulaiman Too continues to welcome pilgrims and still hosts 17 active ritual sites.

Discovering Sulaiman Too

Across the peaks and slopes of the sacred mountain, an ancient network of pathways connects age-old places of worship and ritual sites to caves adorned with petroglyphs depicting humans, animals, or geometric forms. An exploration will notably lead you to the Dom Babura (House of Babur) dating from the 15th century, a prayer site of Zahiruddin Babu, founder of the Mughal dynasty, as well as the Tasht-I Sulaiman and Rawwat-Abdullakhan mosques erected in the 16th century. Though entirely reconstructed, these 3 buildings are well worth a visit.

Decorated with numerous small colorful prayer flags, certain ritual sites on Sulaiman Too remain heavily frequented because they are believed to possess healing or spiritual properties, such as the Ene-Beshik cave, known as the fertility cave, which still attracts many women seeking to conceive. To learn more about the specific characteristics of these "miraculous" caverns, you should visit the Historical and Cultural Museum and consult explanatory photographs in particular.

In this curious museum, whose exterior façade mars the mountain's appearance, are displayed a collection of artifacts (ceramics, metals) dating from the 11th century, handicrafts, paintings, and sculptures. By taking the stairway flanked by taxidermied animals toward the exit, you'll emerge onto an observation platform from which you'll enjoy a magnificent panorama.

During your exploration of Sulaiman Too, you'll surely notice numerous small scraps of paper wedged into the rock's crevices. Do not touch them—they are wishes and prayers entrusted to the sacred mountain.

From Bishkek, shared taxis depart regularly for the city of Osh. The route is spectacular but challenging, with numerous high mountain passes. Allow approximately 12 hours for the journey. Alternatively, you can reach both cities by air.

The arch marking the beginning of the climb to the summit of Sulaiman Too is located near Osh's library, on Kurmanjan Datka Street.

Although the ascent is not strenuous, it takes a good 20 minutes.